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Show THE KHAKI CLOTH BIDS. The Mugwump press of the East is never fair to Americans or to American labor where a question of free trade or open world competition is concerned. That press is always scornful of the fact that our tariff is imposed primarily primari-ly to keep the price of labor above that of tho world at large, so that froe labor shall not have to compoto with slave or coolie labor. A recent incident illustrates the point pertinently, and gives the frec-lradf, anti-labor press its opportunity to scoff. The way in which tho opportunity oppor-tunity is availed of is fully exemplified by the Springfield (Mass.) Republican, which Btatcs tho case in sarcastic vein aB follows: wnai migni nave proved to be a sad po. Iltical blunder In the campaign has probably prob-ably been narrowly averted by tho President's Presi-dent's sudden Intervention In tho routine work of the war department., During the last weeks of Secretary Tart's administration adminis-tration of army affairs, contracts for khaki uniforms were awarded to a number of British firms which cmplov Chinese coolie labor. The under offlcals of tho department were convinced that the best khaki came from those firms, and their action wan undoubtedly in the best Interests Inter-ests of the men who must wear the uniforms, uni-forms, Mr. Taft was so busy with politics poli-tics that he knew nothing about the contracts con-tracts being awarded until lie came to "clean up" his desk Just prjor to his retirement. re-tirement. Although he saw at once the nilstuke, from a political point of view, he could do nothing In the short time left to him In office. Soon the American khaki manufacturers began to be heard from, their Indignation, of .course, knowing no bounds. But the great peril wus In tho coollo labor aspect of the case. Candidate Candi-date Taft's troubles with organized labor In this campaign were enough already without piling upon him the direct official responsibility for new unny uniforms mado by Chinese working anywhere from six to twenty-six cents a day. In this crisis the President Jumped to Iho front. He wus a little late, but with the consent con-sent of the new secretary of war, ho ordered or-dered that everything possible be done to cancel the British contracts for coollc-madc coollc-madc khnkl. Whether this can be dono without limitation seems to be a question, ques-tion, but, at any rate, Candidate Taft will bo protected to the utmost by reducing tho British purchases to a minimum and by advertising for new bids for khaki, open exclusively to American firms. We should say, on that state of facts, candidly considered, that the Presidout was full' justified in interfering, aud in broaking up tho contract if he could'; and if ho couldn't break it, in limiting limit-ing it down as narrowly as possible. This, without any reference to politics, po-litics, br the effect of tho matter on the olection. Tho Republican's irony doesn't count. American manufac-t manufac-t turers should make the uniforms for the American arm3', just as the guns for that army, and the general supplies for it, should bo furnished from our own country. On what Bort of a war footing would we' be, if we wero not able to equip our own troops, from caps to cannon? can-non? An army dependent' upon foreign supplies might havo the very things it most needs shut off from it in time of most urgent need. Tho proper rely to the suggestion that the British coolic-mado khaki is bettor than tho Amorican make is, that this must first bo proved. Tho probability proba-bility is only that it is cheaper. But this is a thing that we can afford to allow al-low a margin on in our own favor, on tho principle so concretely stated by Abraham Lincoln, to the offect that if wo Bend abroad twent' dollars for a plough, we have the plough and tho foreign maker has our twent- dollars; but if wo pa3T twent- dollars for a plough of own manufacture, wo havo tho plough and the twenty dollars, too. And that is tho true principle. When wo buy of our own people, wo have both tho money and the article bought, at home. Even if wo pny a trifle moro for homo goods, it is still best to buy them. While as to the quality, Americans Ameri-cans ought to bo, nnd aro, competent, to make as sound and good products of all kinds as any people in tho world. If tho khaki offered is not up to tho best standards, all that tho War Department De-partment has to do is to eondem it, insist in-sist on tho best, and thcro cau be no question but American manufacturers will furnish It. I |